He had in his hand the Manual-book, always ready to exercise his ministry, whenever necessity or reason demanded. It was nearby, in Kilmacolm, that he was visited by Saint Columba, who was at that time labouring in Strathtay. In the Life of Saint Mungo, he performed four miracles in Glasgow. Printable Catholic Saints PDFs. She was sent up the Forth on a boat with no oars. His story remains a murky melange of fact and fiction. Photograph by Douglas Carr, Alamy Stock Photos. St. Mungo is mentioned in the Father Brown series of books by G. K. Chesterton, as the titular saint of Father Brown's parish. Readers comments: You are personally liable for the content of any comments you upload to this website, so please act responsibly. This name probably comes from the British *Cuno-tigernos, which is composed of the elements *cun, a hound, and *tigerno, a lord, prince, or king. This would later shorten to Let Glasgow Flourish becoming the motto for the city. In desperation, the queen sought help from Mungo, who had a fish scooped from the river and cut it open to reveal the lost ring. On January 14, visitors to Glasgows enormous Mitchell Library can see a facsimile of Vita Kentigerni. After his departure, Mungo travelled to Stirling where he lived at the home of a holy man named Fergus. The stories and legends may have been key factors in making Mungo beloved, but the evangelist himself probably would have preferred that people remember his saying that became the motto of his city: Let Glasgow flourish by the preaching of the Word.. When the king saw a knight wearing the queens ring, he became jealous, stole it, threw it in a river, and demanded his wife retrieve it. A few minutes walk north from there lies St. Mungo Museum of Religious Life and Art. St. Kentigern is venerated as the Apostle of what is now northwest England (including Cumbria and the Lake District) and southwest Scotland. Thanks to their partnership in our mission, we reachmore than 20 million unique users per month! He decided to go and appointed Saint Asaph/Asaff as Bishop of Llanelwy in his place. His nickname, Mungo, means "dear one" or "darling." He was raised by St. Serf and be. In the Life of Saint Mungo, he performed four miracles in Glasgow. The main source for knowledge of his life today is the "Life of Saint Mungo" written by the Norman-era Cistercian monastic hagiographer, Jocelin of Furness, in about 1185. came a hermit near Glasgow, Scotland. The fourth miracle involves the legend of how a Queen of Strathclyde was facing execution for treason by her husband the king. It is still present but has been converted to housing and office space.[17][18]. What we can learn from Chernobyl's strays. Glasgow Cathedral, dedicated to St. Mungo, is the oldest church in mainland Scotland and the oldest building in Glasgow. Baby Mungo somehow survived, the first of many miracles linked to Glasgow's patron saint. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". All rights reserved. The Vita Kentigerni had to show that he had performed miracles in his life. Jocelyn of Furness claimed to have found an earlier document in Gaelic containing details of Mungos life, but he also admitted to listening to the legends that surrounded the saint. I dont know of another city in Europe where a [patron] saints legends are as well known, says Macquarrie. Acting on this Mungo sent one of his monks to the River, instructing him to bring back the first fish that he caught. When students at St. Serfs monastery accidentally killed a pet robin, and blamed Mungo, the boy held this bird, engaged in prayer, and sent it flapping back into the sky. Saint Mungo is said to have performed four religious miracles in Glasgow, which are represented in the city's coat of arms. This timeworn stone building hosts exhibits highlighting the many ways different religions shape local cultures. Despite living some 1,400 years ago, he remains relevant in Glasgow such that each January a large festival celebrates his legacy. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". One dead and seven injured in Cornwall nightclub knife attack, Nurses strike continues: Major disruption for NHS services in England, Additional flight to evacuate Britons from Sudan today, Ryanair cancels 220 flights over May 1 bank holiday due to strikes, Hardcore coronation fans already camped outside Buckingham Palace, Don Robertson replaces injured Collum as referee for Rangers vs Celtic. According to the Life of Saint Mungo written by the monk, Jocelin of Furness, in about 1185, Mungo's mother was Princess Theneva (or Denw) daughter of Loth . His nickname, Mungo, means dear beloved, which makes sense considering the adoration he has received centuries after his death around 612. In Scotland, he is known by the pet name Mungo. This was the last of the design to be withdrawn in 1966. In a late 15th century fragmentary manuscript generally called "Lailoken and Kentigern," Mungo appears in conflict with the mad prophet, Lailoken alias Merlin. The present Church of Scotland St. Mungo's Parish Church in Alloa was built in 1817. Photograph by John McKenna, Alamy Stock Photos. In Fallowfield, a suburb of the city of Manchester, a Roman Catholic church is dedicated to Saint Kentigern. Help us continue to bring the Gospel to people everywhere through uplifting and transformative Catholic news, stories, spirituality, and more. His story remains a murky melange of fact and fiction. The knight told Mungo, who asked a monk to catch a fish. This is the bell that never rang, and this the fish that never swam., The short poem encapsulates the tall tale of a mystifying figure with a clear legacya miraculous monk who, more than a millennia later, is still helping to define Glasgow. However, the new King of Strathclyde, Riderch Hael, invited Mungo to return to his kingdom. Mungo gave a name to the area, he named it Glas Ghu (Glasgow), meaning dear green place. The image of a salmon biting a golden ring is linked to the king of Strathclyde, who gifted his wife this jewellery, Barton says. To this day, Glasgow schoolchildren learn a rhyme about St. Mungo: This is the bird that never flew, and this the tree that never grew. In Cumbernauld, there is St. Mungo's Parish Church in the centre of the New Town. During her second apparition, November 27, 1830, Our Lady stood on a globe, with her feet crushing a serpent.In her hands she held a small golden globe. Mungo's four religious miracles in Glasgow are represented in the city's coat of arms. That coat of arms, which embellishes buildings throughout the city, depicts a tree, bell, robin, and salmon. The saint also appears in Welsh and Cambro-Latin poetry and texts thought to derive from earlier sources, however. Newsquest Media Group Ltd, 1st Floor, Chartist Tower, Upper Dock Street, Newport, Wales, NP20 1DW Registered in England & Wales | 01676637 |. Here Is The Bell That Never Rang - about a bell that Mungo brought back from Rome. Kentigern (Welsh Cyndeyrn Garthwys Latin Kentigernus), known as Mungo, was an apostle of the British Kingdom of Strathclyde in the late 6th century, and the founder and patron saint of the city of Glasgow. When the king saw a knight wearing the queens ring, he became jealous, stole it, threw it in a river, and demanded his wife retrieve it. Jocelin's post-Schism Life seems to have altered parts of earlier accounts that he did not understand; while adding others, like the trip to Rome, that served his own purposes, largely the promotion of the Bishopric of Glasgow. The festivals growth underscores the enduring influence of St. Mungo. Another church called St Kentigern's was built in the town in the late 19th century. Surviving, she was then abandoned in a coracle in which she drifted across the River Forth to Culross in Fife. As mentioned, the salmon in the coat of arms of Glasgow, contains a ring in its mouth. She became pregnant after being raped by Owain mab Urien, according to one source. Mungo carried out the dying wish of his friends and travelled with the bulls until they eventually came to a stop near a small burn. That would date the foundation of Glasgow to 543AD, which would appear from other evidence to be pretty accurate. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. When Thenue somehow survived, the king, now convinced his daughter was a witch, set her adrift in an oarless vessel on the nearby River Forth. During his time at the monastery, Mungo became the favourite student of Saint Serf, often causing jealousy and resentment amongst his monastic peers. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". Perhaps most prominent is the famous mural by Australian artist Smug depicting a modern-day St. Mungo and a robin, alluding to his miracle with the bird. He spent the rest of his life assisting the king to rule as well as winning even more converts to Christianity. In 518 Teneu gave birth to a boy, naming him Kentigern. Our father among the saints Kentigern of Glasgow (in Latin: Cantigernus and in Welsh: Cyndeyrn Garthwys or Kyndeyrn), also known as Saint Mungo, was a late sixth century missionary to the Brythonic Kingdom of Strathclyde. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. Each year thousands of people gather in town to celebrate his legacy during the St. Mungo Festival. The Coat of Arms of the City of Glasgow was given to the royal burgh by the Lord Lyon on 25 October 1866. Several have been passed down ever since. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. But why do we celebrate St Mungo? Particularly in Scotland, he is known by the pet name Mungo, possibly derived from the Cumbric equivalent of the Welsh: fy nghu 'my dear (one)'. The Glasgow coat of arms seen on the side of a trolleybus in Scotland. She appealed to Mungo for help, and he had someone catch a salmon from the river. Queen Languoreth of Strathclyde was accused of adultery, and her husband, the king, claimed she had given her wedding ring to her lover. Our father among the saints Kentigern of Glasgow (in Latin: Cantigernus and in Welsh: Cyndeyrn Garthwys or Kyndeyrn), also known as Saint Mungo, was a late sixth century missionary to the Brythonic Kingdom of Strathclyde. The Christian clerics among the people of Strathclyde and its linked kingdom of Cumbria anointed Mungo as Bishop of the new settlement, and though he tried to decline his elevation, Mungo was eventually persuaded to take up the post, ordained as such by a bishop imported from Ireland. The King was suspicious of his wife, believing her to be guilty of infidelity. The two saints embraced, held long converse, and exchanged their pastoral staves. Festival lecturer Dauvit Broun, a professor at the University of Glasgow, says even centuries of scholarly dissection havent unravelled St. Mungos mysteries. Nor is there too much archaeology to shed light on Scotlands Dark Ages we really just do not know for certain what happened back then. You cannot accept as strictly factual much of what has been written about the events and people from the Roman occupation period which ended in the 4th century AD until the establishment of the kingdom of Alba in the 9th century. Such is his mystery, theres no proof St. Mungos remains are inside the cloth-covered coffin in the cathedrals crypt. Here Is The Fish That Never Swam - The King of Strathclyde gave his wife a ring, who then gave it to a knight. Baby Mungo somehow survived, the first of many miracles linked to Glasgow's patron saint . All rights reserved, St. Mungos Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries, St. Mungo Museum of Religious Life and Art, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. By the time he was 25, Mungo began his missionary adventures and established a church on the site where the city of Glasgow would later develop. Does eating close to bedtime make you gain weight? It was there Fergus was interred, and Mungo established a church and a new community he named Glasgu. This chapel developed into the magnificent 12th-century Glasgow Cathedral, now the citys oldest building, which is decorated by four symbols shared with the Glasgow crest. In Grinsdale, Cumbria there is a church venerated to St. Kentigern. It was from here that Mungo would say the words Let Glasgow flourish by the preaching of his words. The most influential person in Glasgow history, he adorns its city crest, looms in its cathedral, graces street murals, and has his name on museums, schools, charities, and sports clubs. Copyright 1996-2015 National Geographic SocietyCopyright 2015-2023 National Geographic Partners, LLC. As a subscriber, you are shown 80% less display advertising when reading our articles. It does not store any personal data. No matter how slippery, this holy mans tale helps explain the origin, evolution, and medieval wonders of Glasgow, particularly to travelers who follow the St. Mungo Heritage Trail or attend his festival. Far to the north and west, St Columba was in the midst of his mission to the Scots and Picts. Teneu, however, survived the fall and managed to escape, sailing in a small boat to Culross in Fife. St. Mungo was inexplicable from birth, says Alan Macquarrie, honorary research fellow of history at the University of Glasgow. A mural on High Street in Glasgow, Scotland, depicts a modern day St. Mungo, founder and patron saint of the city. His maternal grandfather, Lleuddun, was probably a King of the Gododdin; Lothian was named after him. Tourists can learn these wondrous tales while following the St. Mungo Heritage Trail, an online guide created by the Glasgow City Council. Ian Prior, "Kentigern, Part Three, Later Life and Repose. 2 hours of sleep? It was said to be miraculous, she says of the bell. What began as a small event in 2010 has bloomed into a flagship fair for Glasgow, a proudly working-class city of 630,000 people in Scotland's south-west. The bird: Mungo supposedly brought a robin back to life after some young friends had killed it. It is said her father tied her to a chariot and sent it flying off Trapain Law - but she survived. The original bell no longer exists, and a replacement, created in the 1640s, is now on display in Glasgow. Wallace at Ardrossan Castle (Ayrshire Legends Collaboration). He rekindled it with branches from a hazel tree that were either wet or frozen. The Legends and Commemorative Celebrations of St. Kentigern, his Friends, and Disciples, https://orthodoxwiki.org/index.php?title=Kentigern_of_Glasgow&oldid=113668, Medieval Sourcebook: Jocelyn, a monk of Furness: The Life of Kentigern (Mungo). In the Lake District village of Caldbeck there is a church and a well named after him. To save chestnut trees, we may have to play God, Why you should add native plants to your garden, What you can do right now to advocate for the planet, Why poison ivy is an unlikely climate change winner, The gory history of Europes mummy-eating fad, This ordinary woman hid Anne Frankand kept her story alive, This Persian marvel was lost for millennia. Jocelyn of Furness gives us a description of the man and this may be accurate because Mungo continued to live a simple life: He used the roughest hair-cloth next the skin, then a garment of leather made of the skin of the goats, then a cowl like a fishermans bound on him, above which, clothed in a white alb, he always wore a stole over his shoulders. These four miracles are . There is no account about him dating from his own lifetime, but from the available evidence it is legitimate to conclude that Mungo really did found Glasgow. It depends. First bishop of the Strathclyde Britons. Miracles. For some thirteen years, he laboured in the district, living a most austere life in a small cell, and making many converts by his holy example and his preaching. The following day the King demanded to see the ring which he had given Languoreth, if she could not produce the ring then she would be sentenced to death. Mungo's mother Teneu was a princess. As a circle in the shape of a medal formed around the vision, the letters were written, "O Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee." It is more hagiography than biography but it is the main source of details about Mungo well leave out the more fanciful stuff and concentrate on what is probably factual. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. What are the Miracles of St Mungo of Glasgow? The short poem encapsulates the tall tale of a mystifying figure with a clear legacya miraculous monk who, more than a millennia later, is still helping to define Glasgow. [12][13], Glasgow Fire Brigade also named their fireboat St. Mungo, which served the around the Clyde from 1959 to 1975.[14]. Entrust your prayer intentions to our network of monasteries. Kentigern (Welsh: Cyndeyrn Garthwys; Latin: Kentigernus), known as Mungo, was a missionary in the Brittonic Kingdom of Strathclyde in the late sixth century, and the founder and patron saint of the city of Glasgow. His festival was kept throughout Scotland on 13 January. In carrying out this sentence Teneu was thrown from Traprain Law, East Lothian. He ended up growing up in a monastery before traveling on his own, probably in his 20s, to do Gods work. The Christian King Rydderch Hael, known as the Liberal, won the throne of Strathclyde in or around the year 573, and immediately sent for Mungo who brought many monks with him. The Crest. Kentigern, which means "hound-lord," was Mungo's real name. Her furious father had her thrown from the heights of Traprain Law. The bloody legend of Hungarys serial killer countess, See how stonemasons keep Englands oldest cathedrals standing tall, Behind the mystery of Saint Valentines bones, Why the shipyards that built the Titanic still influence Belfast, Copyright 1996-2015 National Geographic Society. St. Serf cared for Thenue, helped raise her boy, and guided him into priesthood. Mungo's mother Teneu was a princess, the daughter of King Lleuddun (Latin: Leudonus) who ruled a territory around what is now Lothian in Scotland, perhaps the kingdom of Gododdin in the Old North. He built his church across the water from an extinct volcano, next to the Molendinar Burn, where the present medieval cathedral now stands. These miracles are listed in the traditional rhyme: Glasgow's current motto Let Glasgow flourish by the preaching of His word and the praising of His name and the more secular Let Glasgow flourish, are both inspired by Mungo's original call "Let Glasgow flourish by the preaching of the word." The patron saint is allegedly buried in the cathedrals crypt. An almost identical story concerns King Maelgwn of Gwynedd and St. Asaph. He spent the rest of his life assisting the king to rule as well as winning even more converts to Christianity. When the fish was cut open, the ring was inside, thus saving the queen from punishment. St. Homobonus makes real the call of ordinary people, not just the clergy, to extraordinary sanctity. St. Joseph and St. Alban, Wallasey, Wirral. Her furious father had her thrown from the heights of Traprain Law. The King organised a hunting party in which the knight would be present. STDs are at a shocking high. The following verse is used to remember these: Here's the bird that never flew Here's the tree that never grew All of its events are free, the most popular of which are lectures on Glasgows heritage by experts in history, literature, art, and archaeology. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. The festivals growth underscores the enduring influence of St. Mungo. Although the trail doesnt include St. Mungos Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries, the fictional facility to treat wizards in the Harry Potter books, it does visit Culross and Traprain Law, a 725 feet-high hill where the largest Roman silver hoard from anywhere outside the Roman Empire was found in 1919. Only one ancient account mentions the existence of Xerxes Canal, long thought to be a tall tale. St Mungo is the patron saint of Glasgow. It is believed that St Enochs square in the city centre was the medieval site of a church built to honour Saint Teneu. Mungo visited Cumbria, Wales and then headed to Rome. Apparently Mungo already had a high position in the Catholic Church, because he eventually had a cathedral built at Glasgu, the green hollow, and became the bishop of a diocese there that corresponded with the British kingdom of Strathclyde. As the knight slept the King took the ring and threw it into the River Clyde. Glasgow Cathedral, one of the few Scottish medieval churches to have survived the Reformation unscathed, features a stained glass window showing the four evangelistsMatthew, Mark, Luke, and Johnalong with their traditional emblems. ", [Fr. fell eastwards from the apse. So much so that by the age of 25, he was able to found a Christian settlement where the Molendinar Burn meets the River Clyde. You can make a complaint by using the report this post link . .css-tadcwa:hover{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;}Philip Kosloski - @media screen and (max-width: 767px){.css-1xovt06 .date-separator{display:none;}.css-1xovt06 .date-updated{display:block;width:100%;}}published on 01/13/19. In Falkirk, there is a St. Mungo's High School. He is St. Mungo, the illegitimate son of an alleged witch thrown from a cliff while he was in her womb. Mungo, who was supposed to have been looking after the fire, found some frozen branches and prayed, causing them to burst into flames. There seems little reason to doubt that Mungo was one of the first evangelists of Strathclyde, under the patronage of King Rhiderch Hael, and probably became the first Bishop of Glasgow. At the age of twenty-five, the saint began his missionary labours on the Clyde, on the site of modern Glasgow. His father, Owain was a King of Rheged, who survives in the later legendary French Arthurian romances of Chrtien de Troyes as Yvain, as well as in other Arthurian stories. The Miracles of St Mungo. There is a St Kentigern's school and church in Blackpool. Faced with execution she appealed for help to the saint, who ordered a messenger to catch a fish in the river. It was said that the bell was used in services to mourn the dead. Despite living some 1,400 years ago, he remains so relevant in Glasgow each January a large festival celebrates his legacy. As time went on the pair became close friends and on his death bed, Fergus told Mungo of his dying wish. If youre like me, those four lines are new to you. The patron saint is allegedly buried in the cathedrals crypt. Glasgow Cathedral, one of the few Scottish medieval churches to have survived the Reformation unscathed, features a stained glass window showing the four evangelistsMatthew, Mark, Luke, and Johnalong with their traditional emblems. Comments have been closed on this article. The Bell is thought to have been brought by him from Rome. St mungo performed 4 miracles in his life time in Glasgow. That uncertainty fades in relevance during the St. Mungo Festival, held this year from January 9-19. The wider picture at the time is set out in our Historical Timeline. If one prayed while it tolled during services, St. Kentigern would intercede.. Eventually, these beasts paused in the green and serene Clyde Valley. Born during the 6th century, Mungo was reportedly raised by St. Servanus in his monastery in Scotland after his mother entrusted him to the monk. He became famous for four remarkable miracles that have been turned into the following verses for memorization. Lailoken's appearance at the Battle of Arfderydd in 573 has led to a connection being made between this battle, the rise of Riderch Hael and the return of Mungo to Strathclyde. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. Much that we know about him comes from two biographies written by churchmen in the 1100s that probably include more legend than fact. Mungo's mother Teneu was a princess, the daughter of King Lleuddun who ruled a territory around what is now Lothian in Scotland. Duggan, Joseph J. The Glasgow coat of arms has the bird, tree, bell and fish. It was there Fergus was interred, and Mungo established a church and a new community he named Glasgu. This chapel developed into the magnificent 12th-century Glasgow Cathedral, now the citys oldest building, which is decorated by four symbols shared with the Glasgow crest.